


Never Out of the Fight

by Lotstosay88



Category: SEAL Team (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:48:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28694190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lotstosay88/pseuds/Lotstosay88
Summary: Authors Note:First, please let me be clear, I am in no way versed in military talk nor do I have any idea about writing action scenes (which most really look forward to), I apologize. I am an avid fan of the Jason/Mandy story and am writing a story about them mostly with a sprinkle of my beloved Bravo Team here and there. I am writing a story that's formed in my head that I hope, while may be a little AU in some areas, makes sense and still works for a SEAL Team story. Please note, everything written here is purely fiction and just for a story. Would love to hear suggestions on whether I should even continue posting, but I do have some chapters written out.Thank you very much for taking the time! Happy New Year to all! I love everyone. :D
Relationships: Lisa Davis/Sonny Quinn, Mandy Ellis & Jason Hayes, Mandy Ellis/Jason Hayes, Naima Perry/Ray Perry
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Authors Note:   
> First, please let me be clear, I am in no way versed in military talk nor do I have any idea about writing action scenes (which most really look forward to), I apologize. I am an avid fan of the Jason/Mandy story and am writing a story about them mostly with a sprinkle of my beloved Bravo Team here and there. I am writing a story that's formed in my head that I hope, while may be a little AU in some areas, makes sense and still works for a SEAL Team story. Please note, everything written here is purely fiction and just for a story. Would love to hear suggestions on whether I should even continue posting, but I do have some chapters written out. 
> 
> Thank you very much for taking the time! Happy New Year to all! I love everyone. :D

Chapter 1

Jason was pacing. The boys were watching him as he went back and forth, berating himself at not being able to rescue Ray last night. 

'Fuck' Jason thought. 'How could we have missed Ray?!'

"We were in that room...." Jason finally said to no one as he continued to pace. The boys looked at him again, not knowing what to say.

"We were in that room...." Jason said again, this time stopping in his tracks as he turned to look at his brothers, biting his lip in anticipation that someone would at least answer him. 

"We were..." It was Sonny who finally took the plunge and spoke directly to Bravo One. 

"But we were too late...." Clay also voiced out. 

"Did we miss anything?" Jason quietly asked, his head down, looking at his feet, feeling the guilt of not being able to nab Ray from the assholes that took him. 

"We did everything we could Jace...." Sonny assured his brother. "We were just a millisecond too late."

Jason nodded as he finally took his seat but this time, bouncing his right leg. "We need to find Ray."

"We will." A female voice finally said from the doorway.

Everybody in the gear room finally looked up to see Lisa watching them with a determined look. "We've got a lead."

It was the last statement that made everyone jump up from their seats and hurry over to Lisa. 

"What do you mean?" Clay asked. "Did we get a ransom call?"

Lisa shook her head and gave them a small hopeful smile. "We've got something better." And then, she finally turned to look at Jason.

Jason heaved a big sigh, closed his eyes and nodded his understanding. "She found a link?"

"You know she did." Lisa smiled tearily, chuckling at Jason's understanding. "She's already butting heads with Lindell at HAVOC."

"Who?" Sonny asked, wondering who the hell they were talking about. He didn't get his answer though because Jason ran out of the gear room heading towards HAVOC, the rest of the team hot on his heels. 

As they were nearing the command ops center, they could hear heated voices from inside. 

"I don't care what you think Agent....you are no longer attached to this team nor any of these operations and unless the agents I TRUST from here are the ones telling me that its solid intel...." Lindell's voice clearly ringing from the outside. 

"I don't think you understand the situation, SIR." a woman's voice rang over the senior officer. "I wouldn't be here if none of your so called TRUSTED AGENTS didn't think the intel I had to offer was solid. You're probably forgetting that the contacts are mine and that the information you've been getting so far have been coming from me and before it ever got to you, Ive already discussed with them the different aspects you SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN looking into before sending anybody out."

The boys went inside the command center to find Mandy talking directly at Lindell, anger clearly written on her face. Only Mandy, Lindell, Blackburn and the team were in the office with no other personnel or staff listening in on the argument.

"What are you trying to say Agent?" Lindell fought back. 

"You knew very well that the chances of Warrant Officer Perry being in the location Bravo hit was more accurate than the one you sent the other teams to." Mandy argued. "The agent in charge of this case repeatedly....emphasis on repeatedly, notified you of the updates of movement in the second location but you chose to ignore it and went with your crap intel."

"Shots fired." Sonny whispered to Clay who was impressed with the way Mandy was handling Lindell. 

Lindell was fuming and more than ready to retaliate at the CIA agent when another voice joined in the argument. 

"Is this true?" Jason asked, calm but clearly with restrained anger in his voice. "We could have avoided splitting up the entire force?"

"Leave out of this, Hayes." Lindell warned, glaring at the woman infront of him.

"Tell him." Mandy challenged. 

"You don't know who you're challenging here, Agent."Lindell threatened Mandy who looked him back in the eye with defiance and answered "Ask me if I care."

Silence could be heard all over before Mandy stepped back a little from being in Lindell's face, took a folder from the table behind her and handed it to Blackburn. 

"You won't tell them?" Mandy challenged again. Blackburn was reading through the file when he suddenly looked up with a look of disbelief facing Lindell.

"Are you serious?" Blackburn turned to Lindell.

"I don't answer to you, Blackburn" Lindell seethed "Especially not to you....Ellis."

"What the hell is going on?" Jason asked, again with a quiet, seething voice.

"I said...stand down, Hayes!" Lindell exclaimed. "You don't have a say in this conversation....get out."

Silence could be heard all over. Lindell was about to take a step when suddenly Jason asked again with a cold voice "Make me."

Lindell slowly turned to look at Jason and gasped in disbelief. "What did you say Hayes?"

"Jason...." Eric Blackburn turned to his subordinate to try and calm him down but Jason was having none of it.

"I said Make Me." Jason challenged Lindell. "You want me to get out, tell me what the hell is going on or I swear to God you'll want to make me stay where the fuck I am just so I don't do anything to you."

"Ah, the great Jason Hayes threatening his superiors now." Lindell mocked. "I see this is why your team never was worthy of any respect."

The members of Bravo Team, upon hearing that almost ran into the office to make themselves heard when Mandy, yet again, stepped in. 

"Respect? What would you know about it? You would have left Officer Perry just to get to Waheed Saresh, wouldn't you? That's why you chose to ignore intel provided to you of the higher chances of bringing him in....because there was another mission, wasn't there. Is that worthy of any ounce of respect?"

"Shut the hell up, Agent Ellis!" Lindell shouted. 

"I will." Mandy challenged. " If you give me everything I asked for in order for me to save Officer Perry."

"You are toeing a dangerous line, Ellis" Lindell threatened Mandy again.

"Again..." Mandy answered "....ask me if I care....Sir."

Lindell was fuming as he looked at Mandy. After about a minute of a silent stand off, Lindell huffed, turned to look at Eric Blackburn and said "72 hours Blackburn...."

"Yes sir." Eric nodded heaving a big sigh of relief.

Lindell then turned to look Jason straight in the eyes and said "You are sitting in a dark basement office for the rest of your career Hayes. I don't care who else will go missing or how good you think you are. You are done." and walked out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team gets to the reason behind the second mission and how it led to Ray's capture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:  
> Again, emphasis on my not being very familiar with military jargon and operations and this is just me trying to make sense of the story unfolding in my head. Grateful for all of you who have dropped by to read the story. I did mention that I've had some chapters written out that I might post right after this.

Chapter 2

As Lindell closed the door to HAVOC with a loud bang, the boys turned to look at Jason, who was also looking at Mandy. 

"Can somebody explain to me what the fuck was going on?" Sonny drawled.

Jason kept looking at Mandy and asked "Who's Waheed Saresh?"

It was Lisa who spoke with worry in her voice "Waheed Saresh? Isn't he the second in command to Aleem Rashad? The one suspected of financing a surfacing terror group in the Middle East?"

Mandy nodded, eyes never leaving Jason's. "He is."

"What was the other mission?" Clay asked carefully.

Blackburn heaved a big sigh before saying "Agent Ellis?"

Mandy could be seen swallowing before closing her eyes and nodding to Blackburn. "Waheed Saresh was captured in an operation a month ago and was released after he agreed to be a CIA Asset. He has been feeding the CIA information about the human trafficking crisis and most recently, the arms deals in Tunisia that Rashad's company has been conducting."

"What does that have to do with Ray's situation?" asked Trent who was among the quiet ones earlier during the heated debate.

"Ray was in Tunisia to negotiate having a team in country for the search and rescue of American hostages held for ransom." Mandy continued her explanation. "Intel suggests that Saresh was the one who outed that US Navy were in country and were targeting their operations."

"Why the hell would Lindell want to rescue that fucker?" Full Metal asked loudly.

"Because he's a valued asset that we need, apparently." Mandy seethed, once again taking a peak at Jason who was silent throughout the entire discussion. "Made even more so because he's the eldest son of the biggest Oil Magnate in Dubai....the mission was to ensure Waheed was kept out of country when altercation arose between Tunisian and American forces."

"So they were hiding a little fucker while we were out there rescuing a brother? An American Navy officer?!?!" Sonny asked, anger seeping in his words.  
"Were these orders from those goddamned cake-eaters?" 

"As far as I know, not officially." Mandy said with a frown. "Its one of the things Im looking into actually."

"What do you mean?" Lisa asked as she walked over to Mandy's side. Mandy looked at each of the team and saw that they wanted answers as much as Lisa.

"When Naima called me..." Mandy started but was interrupted by Jason.

"Naima called you?" Jason asked, surprised.

"She did." Mandy answered looking at Jason. "She asked if I could drop by, said she needed perspective from someone who knew what it was like in the field."

"She needed reassurance." Jason understood then. No matter how many of people were by Naima's side telling her everything will be okay, she was the type to want to know the reality of things.

Mandy nodded. "She did. And it was something I couldn't give her at the time." She stood from the table she was leaning against and started to pace, much like Jason did earlier. "When Naima called me, Oliver was already at my apartment telling me about what happened."

"Oliver? Like Oliver who wanted us to storm a hotel, Oliver?" Sonny drawled.

"The very same." Mandy answered with a rueful smile. "Said he owed me and wanted to make things right with me before I was officially off the CIA roster. He knocking at my door at 1am telling me that something happened to Ray and that it was one of the leads that I was working on before I got pulled out."

"Wait" Clay barged in. "Pulled out because you were leaving or pulled out before that?"

"Before." Mandy smiled at how quickly Clay was getting her point. "When I was working this lead and was about to get a good landing, the higher ups pulled me out revoking my clearance on any info that I gathered. They said it was no longer an active case and then proceeded to assign me back to you in Serbia."

"Distraction?" Trent asked, now catching on.

Mandy nodded. "More likely."

"What were you working on?" Brock asked.

"I was working on the intel that high powered weapons were being shipped into Tunisia....Ray was sent in to negotiate presence to address human traficking issues, except Oliver told me that the order for Ray to go to Tunisia to negotiate a team in country wasn't in the books."

"So Ray was sent in for what?" Sonny asked, now confused.

"He was sent in so that a team would be available to bring in Saresh if there were any altercations..." Jason finished. He then looked at Mandy with a grim look. "And judging by the looks of things Im guessing a few of these fucking cake eaters knew there was gonna be altercation...."

"That's right. Problem is, the Tunisian govt didn't want foreigners playing in their backyard, especially when a big fish like Saresh was the mouse they were trapping." Mandy further explained.

"So what were saying here is that the people holding Ray are actually the Tunisians?" Full Metal chimed in, hoping that his conclusion was incorrect. 

There was silence before Mandy heaved a big sigh turned to look at the team again and said "No."

"Okay, now Im confused." Clay answered. "Who's got Ray?"

"Fuck." Jason cursed and started pacing again.

"You know something we don't?" Sonny asked Jason. 

Jason then turned to look at Sonny and said "Think, Sonny. The fucker they just saved is a High Value Target....one they knew was compromised when he let slip that he knew about a Seal Team coming in the country to Rashad."

"Wait, so what we're saying now is that...."Lisa Started

"Rashad has Ray." Blackburn finished. "Lindell and the other cake eaters we still don't know about knew that Rashad was gonna hit Waheed when the Tunisians said no to US presence. Cat was out of the bag when Waheed went missing just right before they specifically took Ray from that cafe."

Mandy nodded. "That's what the intel gathered concludes. The Tunisians knew Rashad was coming to get both Waheed and Ray....so they took the bigger fish first. That's who the other team went to get Waheed from....and right now they're transporting him back to his daddy in Dubai." Mandy finished with disdain.

"They were gonna leave Ray for Power play." Clay concluded sadly.

"Whoever brings Waheed back to daddy dearest gets his full cooperation." Mandy nodded in a sombre tone.

"So how do we get Ray back?" Brock asked, bringing the entire team back on track. 

"How soon can we get him back?" Full Metal chimed in as well, determination on his face.

"I have an asset working on sitrep at the location which is about 5 klicks northeast from your last position" Mandy explained. "Last comms suggest that the location is a compound with two guard houses in the east and west gates, area facing south corralled with cemented walls and the only other exit in the North gate heavily guarded."

"Who's the asset?" Full Metal asked his brothers agreeing with the question he just posed."How do we know we can trust the intel?"

"This intel doesn't go out of this group." Mandy commanded before revealing her source "The asset was sent in by my contact in Dubai. My contact has ties with Saresh and in turn, Rashad." She looked at Jason who waited with bated breathe who the hell had such high clearance in Rashad's group that she could get this kind of information.

"Who?" Jason finally asked noting that discomfort that Mandy was showing at revealing her source.

"You know I can't reveal further than that." Mandy revealed with a deadly calm voice. 

"You're absolutely sure you trust this intel." Blackburn asked.

"Yes." Mandy said with absolute clarity. "This asset has helped me bring the team back more than once. I trust it implicitly."

"Then we trust the intel." Jason said with finality showing everybody that his trust in Mandy was absolute. "What do you say boys?"

Each and every single member of their misfit family nodded their heads in agreement with Sonny saying loudly "Let's plan this shit and bring Ray home."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Havoc this is 1 passing Cyanide." Bravo 1 checked in with Havoc as they creeped along the ridge at the east side of the compound. While planning Ray's rescue, Mandy's asset made contact informing that the east gate was having electricity issues and would be the best option for them for infil.

"Copy that Bravo 1, passing Cyanide." Lisa responded.

"Remind me again why we chose poison names for this little trip?" Thirty asked quietly through his comms. 

"Its a reminder to keep you trap shut." Sonny mumbled back. 

"I mean, don't get me wrong, it not like were getting any chance of feeding Little Lindell Boy his milk with it. So tell me again what this actually is for, Sonny Boy?"

Sonny turned to glare at Thirty Mike and said "Its to help remind me to put the fucking poison in your little juice box you little weasel if you don't shut the hell up."

"Quiet." Jason reprimanded the two. Sonny glared at Thirty Mike again and gave him the finger.

"Havoc this is 1, do we have visual?" Jason checked back.

"Affirmative." Lisa responded checking in on the ISR images. "You have 5 Tangos approaching East gate, makes up for the 8 in total stationed outside."

"Asset confirms that there are 5 more inside the main building and that Ray will be in the basement." Mandy explained.

"Exfil is 10 mikes out and ready to come get you once you have Ray with you." Blacburn further explained.

"Hard Copy Havoc." Jason affirmed. "I need everyone in their positions, we go in in 3, 2, 1....Execute, execute...."

The boys knowing the situation inside the gates immediately executed their plan, taking down 3 of the 5 immediately. Gunfire ensued with Full Metal, Thirty and Sonny raining fire on the rest of the tangos stationed outside while Jason, Trent and Clay raided the main building. Mandy's intel was right when they realized that the compound didn't have much security at this time of the night and immediately looked for Ray. When they found the room Ray was in, they immediately took in the situation finding Ray and 3 other hostages in the room with him.

"Jace!" Ray exclaimed with a sob when he finally saw his friend emerge from the doorway.

"Goddamn Ray its fucking good to see you." Jason hugged Ray tightly. "We're bringing you home."

"About damn time!" Ray answered with a sob. 

"4 could you do a quick check?" Jason asked Trent to sweep in and do a quick check on the hostages, who seemed to be in good condition.

"You good?" Jason asked Ray.

"Im good man....just my hand....tried escaping.." Ray explained. 

"Wouldn't be you if you didn't" Jason exhaled. 

"Bravo 1 be advised, 4 vehicles with Tangos approaching from the west side." Lisa hurriedly explained.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Sonny was shouting from the outside.

"They good to go?" Jason asked Trent, referring to the hostages. 

"They're good to go." Trent replied. "Just the younger one needing a hand with his ankle in bad shape. I got him." Trent said preparing to piggyback the injured hostage and lead the other two to exfil point."

"Bravo 1, vehicles coming in hot 2 mikes out." Lisa checked in again.

"Hard copy....where's my exfil?!" Jason asked.

"Right above you." Lisa explained. "You have to go now. Mandy managed another helo for support." 

"Wouldn't be her if she didn't" Jason mumbled with rueful smirk. 

"Let's get you home Ray." Clay said to Ray as he helped him and the others out towards the waiting helo.

"Come on lets go!" Sonny was shouting. "Other helo's bringing in the fire to the approaching tangos but we have to move now!"

"Moving! Moving!" Jason shouted back as they headed for the helo. 

Once everybody was on the helo transport, Jason heard a command from his comms that made him look out to the other helo "Bring them down."

"Was that Mandy?" Ray asked, hearing the command when Jason handed him the comms from the helo. "Did she come out of retirement to help me?"

"Yeah." Jason answered as he watched the 2nd helo rain down on the compound with heavy fire. "She came back to bring family home."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Mandy was looking in on the AARs stacked infront of her. It's been close to 12 hours since the team brought in Ray and 3 other American hostages from the rescue mission at Rashad's compound. She's been cooped up in HAVOC looking in on all angles and intel she could gather to confirm her theories. She wanted justice for Ray. They almost lost him because of power play and she was gonna find out who the hell, other than Lindell, is involved. 

It was getting late again. Everyone was getting ready to leave early the next day but her. She was reading yet another file when a cup of coffee was placed right infront of her making her look up suddenly. 

"Looks like you're burning midnight oil." Jason's gruff voice said as he took a seat next to Mandy. 

She followed Jason's movements with a little chuckle and said. "Congratulations. You've worked out the coffee machine."

Jason laughed at Mandy's little dig and replied "I actually just took that steaming cup from the counter over there. Don't know who owns it but it was hot, so...."

Mandy laughed out loud at Jason's joke. "Thanks. Needed that."

Then, silence. Jason gave Mandy a look that she understood. He didn't know how to begin to say thank you for bringing them Ray back. 

"You don't need to, you know." Mandy finally said, turning a page in the file she held.

"Yeah I do." Jason looked up to find Mandy smiling back at him. "We all do. You brought us back Ray."

"I seem to believe it was you guys who brought him back here to us....last night in fact." Mandy replied trying to lighten up the mood. "Or was I dreaming?"

Jason laughed a little and then said "Thank you Mandy. We lost him. We lost him by a minute...arms reach but we still lost him. If you hadn't come in and given us the intel...."

"We were always gonna do everything we could to bring him back Jason." Mandy put down the file she was holding and turned to face Jason. "Even without the intel we would've scoured every inch of this place and threatened every single person just to get him back....it's what family does. We never give up."

Jason nodded and looked at Mandy hard. "You're right. It's what we do for family."

Mandy looked at Jason hard and saw how exhausted he was. "Jason, you need to rest. You look exhausted."

Jason chuckled. "Gee thanks for telling me I look like crap."

Mandy lightly slapped him on the shoulder and laughed. "You know what I mean."

"I can't sleep." Jason finally admitted. "Everytime I close my eyes I go back to the time we lost Ray....."

"He's okay, Jace." Mandy said.

"Yeah?" Jason replied. "You been by to see him yet?"

Mandy stopped in her tracks and took a deep breathe. "I've been a little pre-occupied."

"Right. Sorry. Didn't mean anything by that." Jason explained with a sigh.

"You're right though." Mandy relented. "I still haven't been by to see him....but I heard from Lisa that he was doing okay."

"He is." Jason explained "Been on the comms all night with Naima and the kids."

"That's good. Naima was almost out of her mind with worry...." Mandy told Jason. She could still remember the way Naima ran to her from the doorway when she got out of her car and asking her to bring Ray back. Naima held her so tight and then when she held her back to comfort her, Naima lost it and just crumbled in Mandy's arms. 

"Naima...." Mandy started. "...she kept asking me how I did it."

Jason turned to look at her and asked "Did what?"

"She asked me how I held it together knowing what I knew...the horrors that these bastards could do in detail...." Mandy explained.

"It's not easy." Jason understood Mandy. 

"That's what I told her." Mandy gave him a sad smile "I told her knowing those things was what pushed me to do what I could to bring our family home."

Jason nodded in understanding. This was the first time they were talking again since she told him she was quitting and left him at the taco place. He knew how hard it was for Mandy. People always thought she was tough as nails and cold but what they didn't know was that everytime the team comes home, she cries in her hooch thanking all the gods for the miracle of having everyone back safe and sound. They didn't know how she always break little by little at every loss, no matter the success of the mission. It's what pushed her to leave the life, after all. 

Mandy continued her recollection of her and Naima's talk before she flew in to base. "It was then she asked why I left....if bringing family home was what I wanted, why did I leave?"

Jason fell silent. He wanted to know the answer to that question too. He believed all that she said at the taco place was just the surface of the real reason she left everything behind. But when Mandy just turned away from Jason and took the file she was reading earlier in hand, Jason suddenly asked "And?"

"And what?" Mandy asked back without looking back at Jason. 

"What did you tell her your reason was?" Jason asked quietly. "I'd like to know that real answer to that too."


End file.
